Think Progress: Clean Start: June 8, 2011

-By Brad Johnson

June 8, 2011- Welcome to Clean Start, ThinkProgress Green’s morning round-up of the latest in climate and clean energy. Here is what we’re reading. What are you?

U.S. Chamber of Commerce President Thomas Donohue sent a letter Tuesday to President Barack Obama, demanding the administration “speed up issuing new offshore drilling permits, offer more offshore areas for oil and gas exploration, open new areas for drilling in the Western U.S., and approve permits for the Keystone XL pipeline proposed to bring oil from Canadian tar sands to the U.S.” [WashWire]

“One hundred and nine House Democrats called on House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) this week to eliminate billions in oil industry tax breaks as part of high-stakes talks to reduce the deficit.” [E2]

“Gov. Chris Christie said Tuesday that he planned to scale back New Jersey’s goals for renewable energy as he looked for an ‘achievable’ approach to generating electricity in the state.” [NYT]

Sen. Mark Udall (D-CO) is unveiling a bill today that would “require the military to step up efforts to find alternatives to oil,” with a $3 billion provision to the Senate’s military spending plan encouraging efficiency, biofuels, and other alternative energy. [Colorado Springs Gazette]